1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a nozzle having a control valve for use with a re-usable reservoir of a flowable product.
2. Description of the Related Art
A flowable pharmaceutical, for example a pharmaceutical jelly, may be stored in a capped collapsible container, typically a capped aluminium tube. When it is desired to dispense some of the pharmaceutical, the cap is removed and typically replaced by a nozzle which provides an unimpeded passageway between the tube and the dispensing end of the nozzle. The nozzle is then directed to the position where the pharmaceutical is to be dispensed, such as in a body orifice, and the container squeezed until the desired amount of pharmaceutical is dispensed. A problem with this equipment is that if the nozzle is placed within a body orifice during a medical procedure, contaminated pharmaceutical may drip from the dispensing end of the nozzle after the nozzle is removed from the orifice. After use, the nozzle is removed, cleaned and then sterilised and the container recapped whereupon the nozzle and container are ready for re-use. However, a further problem with this equipment is that the flowable pharmaceutical may degrade the metals used in the collapsible tube thereby limiting the storage life of the pharmaceutical containing tube.
This invention seeks to overcome drawbacks of the known nozzles.